1st post

[Robert Bowman <rbow@mn.mediaone.net>]

since the season started.

I would like to offer up a few observations which may or may not provide
fodder for further discussion.  I will preface these observations by
stating that I've only watched on tv 3 or 4 games, the most recent being
the TWolves game on 1/13/00. I have, however, listened to several others
on internet radio and follow fairly closely the discussions on this
list. I am a long time Celtics fan with roots as a young kid to the mid
60s end of the Russell dynasty era with fond memories of his last 4
championships. To me the Celtic pantheon is the most hallowed in team
sports with close competition from the Yankees.  In my book Red Auerbach
gets the head chair at the table closely followed by Russell, Bird,
Cousy, and Havlicek.  Everyone else fits in there somewhere.  Just so
you know my perspective and my bias.

Ownership/Management/Coaching:  It all starts here with leadership,
philosophy and organizational tone.  What does the organization stand
for?  How does it go about achieving its goals?  How does it deal with
crisis?  And so on.  It appears that the current goal of this team is to
make the playoffs.  This is the wrong goal.  It may be fine for the
Hawks or Pistons or Cavaliers but not for the Celtics.  It should be the
stated, publicized, and often repeated goal of this team to win the NBA
championship.  With Pitino's "playoffs in 3 years" statement you almost
get the feeling that if he does that he'll be satisfied and that perhaps
he doesn't think he can win the title.  I  think the "and contending for
the title in 5" was added on to sound good. At the time of his hiring I
was confident yet cautious.  I was happy that the organization took the
step to bring in a respected, well paid president/coach to run the
team.  This sent a message to everyone that the Celtics meant business.
I liked the fact that there was one person ultimately responsible for
the performance of the team. That was nearly 3 years ago. Now, in
hindsight, a lot is made of the Tim Duncan disappointment, and a big one
it was but, it can't be used as an excuse because excuses don't mean
sh*t.  The Celtics still had 2 picks in the first 6.  Looking over the
list of picks maybe they did the best they could but maybe they could
have packaged those picks in a trade.  I know that hindsight is
generally 20/20 but my point is that Pitino has to take responsibility
for his decisions. The current roster aside from Pervis and Barros is
the result of his decisions.  This leads my discussion to the talent.

Talent: This is the area in which much of the list discussion is
focused.  Do we have the "right" players?  Who should get the playing
time?  What positions should Antoine be playing? Who should we trade?
Etc. The problem in this area stems from leadership.  I get the
impression from the games and list discussions that the team doesn't
really know its roles.  Granted Fortson started out the year on IR and
Pierce was out for awhile and now Griffin is down.  Injuries are part of
the game in every sport.  One could make the case that our injuries have
had a larger impact on the season because this was a team with so many
new faces. Still, players must know their role and what's expected of
them and I don't think this is true with this current squad.  I think
that Pitino needs to tell each player exactly what is expected of him,
what he needs to do to help the team win,  how much pt to expect and so
on.  I am not the coach or involved in the operation of the team but I
want to see how this team looks when we see extended minutes from
different combinations of players such as: Walker, Potapenko & Fortson;
Walker, Battie, & Fortson; Williams, Battie, & Potapenko, etc.  How do
these combinations work best and in what situations?  What exactly do we
want from Walker?  Should he post up most of the time, when should he
step outside for jumpers, etc? and the same for the all the other
players.  I personally don't think we have the overall talent to win a
title.  We may have a few pieces but right now I liken the current
situation to one in which a jigsaw puzzle is opened and most of the
pieces are still mixed up.   I agree with those who preach patience,
afterall no young team is going to gel in one season, but it's easier to
be patient when progress is being made and I don't see progress.  My
overall impression of the talent is that we've got to move some people
out and bring in at least one topline player.  It may mean overpaying
from our perspective but we have no superstars on this team, none.  I
still hold out hope for Walker and Pierece but... the clock is ticking.
We need one bona fide big man like a KG, Duncan, Shaq, Wallace to build
around-it doesn't have to be a center but it needs to be a big guy who
can get it done-rebounding, defense, points. (It could even be a combo
of 2 big guys and that's why we need to decide if any of our big men
combos work.) Rick has to determine who that guy will be and then figure
out a way to get him.  Surround him with some solid players some of whom
are probably already on the team, and a  key veteran presence and let's
make a run in 2000-01 and 01-02.  The future is now.  I guess that means
trading Walker, picks and whoever else gets dealt. (Ideally we go for
Duncan and keep Pierce or Walker if possible but we may end up dealing
both!)  Kenny can man the point for now if we can bring in someone to
tutor and back him up.  There's got to be a way to get who we need.
(We've done it in the past and it needs to get done now. It's Pitino's
job to figure out who to get and how to get him.)

The System: Keep It Simple, Stupid.  Simple works best.  Set plays that
become routine, automatic.  In the final seconds of the 7th game you
need to know that Bird (or S Jones, or Havlicek, or JoJo) will hit that
jumper off the screen or McHale will get the up and under for 2 and 1.
We do not have a go to guy(s) and we do not have go to plays.  The lack
of a go to guy is the lack of talent.  It is possible that Pierce or
even Walker could become a go to guy, but the coach needs to develop
them into one.  He has to say, "look, here's your best moves, let's
figure out how to get you in the position to use those moves to get
points in crunch time." The lack of go to plays is the result of
coaching. What plays do we run over and over that will get us good looks
and good opportunities to score?  Defense and rebounding are what win it
all.  Everyone knows it--Russell said it first.  It's fine to have a
variety of defenses to throw at an opponent from time to time but team
defense works best and it starts with a presence in the middle.  Same
with rebounding.  Everybody rebounds, everybody defends.  That's our
mantra. Basketball is not that difficult, it is the repetition of a
limited number of successful plays on offense and  a commitment to
defense and rebounding.  The coach needs to define and teach: this is
what  we want to do, this is how we do it.  The team executes the
coach's instruction.  If a player won't do it, he sits.  If he can't do
it, he goes.  It's that simple.  Talent wins, but it's well coached
talent that wins.

Conclusion: I will continue to be a Celtics fan.  There is no chance of
me jumping ship.  My loyalty requires a commitment. If Pitino/Gaston
can't get it done and show me some solid progress over the next season
and a half ( maybe less for Pitino ) I say get the hell out and sell to
someone who knows what he's doing.  Can someone spell Jordan?  Yeah I
know many will say what?!? the hell is this guy talking about !?!? It
won't happen in Boston, BUT if MJ buys into the Wizzards how long do you
think it will be before they're in the Finals? I say 5 years.  Ok, I've
been long winded and rambling and I don't have many answers but I was
downright depressed after the TWolves game.  Things have got to change.
It may mean sinking even lower (how much lower can we sink?) before we
rise again but I believe the Celtics will win another string of
championships and at least one more before Red passes. I hope to god
he's got another ace up his sleeve and another 20 years to live.

Bob